Burial box



/14 J za F. LEES.

BURIAL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30, 1921.

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Fredevil, Le es.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY FREDERICK LEES, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

BURIAL BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 4, 1922.

Application filed November 30, 1921. Serial No. 518,894.

T 0 all whom t may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK LEEs,'a subjectof the King of Great Britain, residingat Philadelphia, in the county ofPhiladelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invent-ed new and usefulImprovements in Burial Boxes` of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to burial boxes or caskets and it has moreparticular reference to boxes which are made of cementitious oranalogous material suitably reinforced whereby the shaping of said boxor casket is more easily effected and rendered durable.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a reinforcedcomposition casket that is impervious to the action of water, air andthe-ravages of vermin whereby the contents are more effectivelypreserved and prevented from premature decay.

Another object of my invention is to provide a burial box or casketwhich can be hermetically sealed and thereby protecting the contentsfrom illicit disturbance or unlawful removal.

A further objecti attained by this invention is the provision of aburial box or casket which can be cheaply manufactured, whilst it is oflight weight and such strong and durable nature as to effectivelyprotect a corpse against the natural forces tending to set updecomposition and disintegration.

lVith the foregoing objects in view this invention more particularlyconsists in the novel construction` combination and arrangement of partshereinafter more fully described and specifically defined by theappendedclaims.

In the further disclosureof the invention reference is to be had to theaccompanying sheet of explanatory drawings constituting a part of thisspecification. and in which like characters of reference designate thesame or corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a. sectional plan taken approximately onl the line 1 1 inFigure 2, that is to say, with the cover removed.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through my improved burial box withthe cover therefor in place.

Figure 3 is a. transverse section through the burial box with the coverremoved; and,

Figure 4 is a detail of the frame therefor.

Referring more particularly to the drawings and in accordance with theembodiment of my invention illustrated thereby, I construct a.substantially rectangular box 5 of suitable wood preferably tongued andgrooved together and including sides 6, 6, ends 7, 7, and a bottom 8.Longitudinally of the bottom 8 and thereunder I secure in anyappropriate manner a pair of skids or battens 9, 9, whilst the aforesaidsides 6, 6, and ends 7, 7 are reinforced or strengthened by spacedvertical battens 10 whereby a light and durable structure is obtained.Securely anchored by staples 11 to the aforesaid skids 9 and battens 10is a sheath of expanded or reticulate metal fabric 12, it beingparticularly noted that the main part thereof, or that which surroundsand is connected to the sides 6 and ends 7 of the box 5, is a continuouslength of material with the upper edge thereof outwardly bulged at 13 tolie over a surrounding peripheral reinforcing strip or lath.14 that isnailed or otherwise securely connected to the upper edges of theaforesaid vertical battens 10. The upper or projecting edge of the metalfabric 12 is then hammered or otherwise folded down at 15 to snugly reston the top edges of the strip or lath 14 and the surrounding top edge.of the box 10, whereby said box 5 and metal fabric 12 are bonded rigidlytogether. The lower edge of the metal fabric 12 may similarly beinturned at 16 and secured to the longitudinal skids or battens 9, 9whilst a layer of such fabric 17 may also b secured thereto to fill inthe intervening space between said lower inturned edges 16.

Secured in any of the well known ways around the upper edge of the box 5is a surrounding lath or strip 18 which when the cementitiousmaterial`19 is coated completely over the metal fabric 12 in any of theknown manners, provides the inner wall for a continuous groove orchannel 20 that constitutes a seat for thecover 21 as later onexplained. This cover or lid 21 comprises an inner member or base 22 oftongued and grooved wood stifened on its upper face with transversebattens or laths-23 on which is stapled a sheathing of metal fabric 24of the same character as that which surrounds the box 5, and said metalfabric 24 has its edges inturned at 25 to overlap the transverse limb 26of a surrounding lip of angular cross section metal that is secured tothe base 22 in any convenient maner. The vertical and depending limb 27of said surrounding lip is adapted to seat snugly in the aforesaidgroove or channel 20 when the lid or cover 21 is applied to the box 5,and said lid or cover 21 is coated with cementitious material in likemanner to the box 5.

Before placing the cover or lid 21 in posi- -tion on the box 5 thegroove or channel 20 is filled with fresh cementitious material or putty28 in which the aforesaid depending limb 27 of the lip is bedded whichforces said material or putty outwardly to completeA a hermetic joiningseal between said cover or lid 21 and the box 5.

Previous to applying the cover or lid 21 to the box 5 I preferablydispose transversely across the top of said box 5 one or more brace rods29 the ends whereof are downturned at 30 to seat in the aforementioned'groove or 'channel 2O and when said lid or cover 21 is applied andbedded in the fresh cementitious material or putty 28 it will beperfectly obvious that the box will be effectively prevented frombulging or warping.

Obviously the inner walls of the box 5 as well as the bottom 8 andunderside of the cover or lid 21 will be upholstered in acwhilst theouter surface may be stained or colored to give an attractive finish.

From the foregoing it will be perfectly obvious that as a result of myinvention there is provided a'cheap and easily manufactured burial boxwhich will retainits shape and owing to the impervious material orcoating thereof a moisture and air-proof structure is provided. Stillfurther it will be apparent that the contents of a burialbox constructedas hereinbefore set forth will be well preserved botlrfrom the action ofthe elements and from unauthorized'tampering with the same.

Whilst I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of myinvention, it will be clear the same is susceptible of'minor detailchanges and the right is hereby reserved to make such variations andmodifications therein as fairly lie within the scope of the appendedclaims. L

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is :Y

1. A burial box of cementitious material having an inner wooden body,vertically spaced battens on the outer faces of the sides and end wallsand longitudinal battens under said wooden body, a reinforcing stripcompletely surrounding the upper outer edge of the wooden body andsecured to the aforesaid vertical battens, an inner facing strip securedto the inner upper edge of the wooden body and constituting-one wall ofa surrounding sealing groove in the cementitious mater1al,metallicfabric surroundingv and attached to the aforesaid battens, the upper'andlower edges of said metallic fabric bein inturned to grip the upper andlower edges of the wooden body, and a cover for said burial box havingan inner wooden face reinforced by metallic fabric and a dependingangular cross section lip, I

4of th'e wooden body and secured to the aforesaid vertical battens, aninner facing strip secured to the. inner upper edge of the wooden. bodyand constituting one wall of a surrounding sealing groove in thecementitious material, metallic fabric'surrounding and attached to theaforesaid battens, the upper and lower edges of said metallic fabricbeing inturned to grip the upper and lower edges of the wooden body, anda cover for said burial box having an inner wooden face reinforced bymetallic'fabric and a depending angular cross section lip, said lipbeing adapted to seat in a groove about the said burial box, means forhermetically sealing said cover to the burial box, means ture.

FREDERICK LEES.

In testlmony whereof I aiiix my signa#

